oldsoldier's Blog

For the last couple of weeks, we've been waiting to see how Julie and Leah would do in the dance competition over in Clemmons. This morning it was announced that Julie had indeed won, and when I went to MyFoxWGHP to see the video, it was easy to see why. Julie could easily hold her own on Dancing With The Stars, and watching her on the news now, I'll be thinking that she should come out from behind the desk from time to time. Congratulations Julie, and Leah, you looked pretty good also. It would be great to see the entire competition on air sometime

Years ago, I accompanied my Mother to the Social Security office to sign her up for benefits. Now my mom was one of those people who prepared for things, and she had all her documents with her, and was well prepared. Still, I remember waiting for a very long time before she was called to the interviewer's cubicle, and after we got there, neverending questions. In all, we spent the better part of a day there, before getting her signed up. So it was with a certain amount of hesitation that I went to the office, and there was wall to wall people. Then I saw a sign that said I could sign up online, so I went home. Still a little nervous about such  an important move trusted to unseen people on the internet, I logged on. In about twenty minutes, I hit the final "send" button, then printed out the list of documents I needed to show the clerk at the office. Two days later, still waiting for my DD214, from the army, I called to make an appointment. I gave the lady on the phone the information she needed to look up my records, and after holding a few seconds, she came back and said " Mr Oldsoldier, you are done! You don't need to come in, you will recieve a letter telling when you will get your first payment." I could not believe what I heard, and asked  her to repeat what she had said. Sure enough, that was it. Finally the government has got sometning right. So why am I writing this? First, I want to commend all those unseen people at Social Security, for doing a great job. Thanks to each and every one of them. And second, I would encouarge everyone, who needs to sign up for S.S. benefits, to try the online service. Some of us oldtimers are slow to accept new things, but when it works as well as this, we need to try it.

If you know someone who works at Social Security, or know someone who needs to sign up for benefits, please show them this blog or tell them about it. I'm sure they will appreciate it. Bye now.

Barack Obama seems to think he's already elected when he says he doesn't look like all those other presidents on U.S. currency, my, he is pesumptuous. And he is proabortion, though he admits there are some moral questions about it. When it comes to morals, you either have them, or you don't, no question about it. Nuclear arms in the hands of terrorist are a threat, but not as big a threat as conventional arms. For the most part we know where  the nukes are, but what about all those guns and grenades floating around on the blackmarket, not to mention homemade explosive devices. Safeguarding our borders against this kind of threat should be on his agenda, but I haven't heard him address that. And having a military force that is both feared and respected should also be on his list of important things. If we walk away from Iraq because things get tough, what kind of message does that send the terrorists? Using Iraq as a photo-op would not have been possible without The Surge that he was against, but he won't admit it. And friends in Iraq tell me he snubbed the soldiers on duty there, but the press onlly had their cameras on him when he wanted them to.  I have serious doubts about Obama, and I hope the voters look beyond the adoring reports the liberal media keeps shoving at us.

Now that some of the tire dust has settled, let me add my two cents worth to the great debate.NASCAR screwed up when, after tire test revealed a wear problem, they just assumed the track would "rubber in" and the track would be okay. Well we all know what happens when we assume something. During the race, they did the only thing they could do, the race had started, the stands were (mostly) full, and the tires looked like they were running on a cheese grater. All in all, they did their best in a bad situation, but when Mike Helton goes on screen during a race, you know things are going down the toilet, but they kept anyone from getting injured. So now what?

Ray Evernham wants NASCAR to remove some restrictions from Goodyear, saying they may need to make a slightly bigger tire for the new car. Apparently, Goodyear is in the same boat as the teams as far as the new car is concerned, no changes to the body, no matter what. Anyone who has stood on the observaton deck at Penske South, and looked down on the race shop and last years cars, knows the reason for this. The teams had pulled and stretched the bodies so much they were more "Frankencars" than "stock cars". The left front fender was more than twice as wide as the right, just to give you an idea. Still race teams have some of the best mechanics and engineers in the country, and if NASCAR would give them just a little room to adjust the body, within limits of course, they can make the COT into a very good race car. NASCAR needs to let the teams and Goodyear experiment a little, and work together, and I'm betting NASCAR"s big problem will be solved. As much as NASCAR thinks it knows about the COT, the race teams know more.

And one last note, Tony George, the big boss at Indy was acting all high and mighty, saying it was NASCAR's problem and the track was not at fault in anyway. Well, as a fan of all types of racing, I seem to remember, 3, maybe 4 years ago, a Formula 1 race at Indy, that saw only 6 cars on the track when the green flag fell. Seems one of the two tire makers for F1, felt their tires would wear too much to be safe on Indy's abrasive surface, so they advised all teams running their tires to withdraw, and they did. There was such an uproar about the so called race, that a lot of free tickets were given out to get the fans to return the next year. So Mr Tony need not act so sanctimonious, as his track does have a history of being abrasive, almost as abrasive as he was in his statement to the press.

Okay, I've had my say, now I'm going to Jayski's to see who will drive what next year, bye now.

For sometime, now, I have wanted to go to the D Day Memorial, In Bedford, VA, but the demands of my wife's job kept us at home. This past weekend we made the trip, and I want to tell you this is a place everyone should see. The D Day Memorial is funded by private donations and entry fees ($5.00 for adults), and is a magnificent tribute to the men and women who planned and executed the Allied Invasion of Normandy on June 6th, 1944. We were lucky enough to go on Family Day, when more than a hundred volunteers were on hand to show cars and trucks from that era, both military and civilian, as well as clothing, weapons, and other memorabilia. But everyday you will find volunteers to guide you around the area and make the memorial come alive. We took the golf cart tour, and our guide, a Korean War veteran, really knew his history. During the tour, I felt  the comradery that I had not felt since I left the service. As I left the golf cart, he actually saluted me, and for the first time in 40 years, I returned it, and felt perfectly at ease doing so. It's a veteran's thing, a bond some might not understand, but in this setting, feelings come back to you that you thought were long forgotten. This monument pays homage to an event that changed the world, and it should be seen by all people who love freedom. I should also add that my wife loved it as well, the flowers, the statues, recreating on a small scale, the landing, and the beauty of the entire site.

All this is just a little more than two hours away in Bedford, VA. Just get on HWY 29, North, through Danville, when you get to Lynchburg, take 460 West to Bedford, and watch for the signs. When you exit onto 122, turn right at the top of the ramp, there you will find the Welcome Center, and a few yards past that, the driveway to the D Day Memorial. You can do it in a day, but why not take the weekend, you won't regret it. While at the Welcome Center, you might ask how to get to Olde Lberty Station, for an excellent meal. And in closing, I should add that we found BP regular gas for $3.82, that might help.

I hope some of you will take the trip, I really hope our old friend Roy will take his cameraman up there and give these volunteers that work so hard at the Memorial some help in getting the word out about a site that every American should see. I might add, Roy, that the British and Canadian Forces are well represented.

T. Boone Pickens, an old time oilman has come up with a positive plan to help fight the energy crisis. It may not be a cure-all, but it is a start, and Pickens credentials are solid, he knows what he's talking about. Go to pickensplan.com, and see what he has to say. It may just be another piece of the puzzle to solving our energy problems. Please check it out, we need to leave no stone unturned in the hunt for energy solutions.

This was going to be another lighthearted look at the Heros Convention, a comic book gathreing in Charlotte held each year.  Last year my son talked me into joining him, and I had a good enough time to go again this year.I aready had some great lines, like commenting on all the folks with piercings looking like survivors of an explosion in a jewelery store, people who want attention so much that they wear a super hero costume in a hot convention hall full of comic book nerds.  But these nerds are also people, nice people, who love comic books, and the characters that inhabit them. Many of them save up all year to attend these things so that they can wait in long lines, and hope that they can get in another line at their favorite artist's booth before the cut off, so that they can pay big bucks for an original drawing. The orders are taken first thing Friday morning, and often the money is collected then also, now if my course in business law serves me right, this constitutes a contract, more later. Most of the artist, are really good people, who respect their fans and work really hard to fulfill their fan's wishes, one in particular, who signs his work H.A., worked through a serious medical problem with his drawing hand, so as not to disappoint a fan. I know this is true because that particular fan is my son. Another big name in the comic book field took a lot of orders for original art work, along with the money, and then more or less checked out. The fans were trying to find out where he might be, some worried about making connections to get back home. Finally late Sunday afternoon, his wife appeared at the booth to say that he had been overbooked, and could not complete the drawings (contracts?). She then produced a wad of money, and those fans that were still there got refunds. Those that had to leave, I'm not sure, last names were not taken. The artist was later seen upstairs in a corner with three other men, happily discussing a business deal that they had apparently worked out over the weekend. Could this business not have been conducted later, so that his fans would not have been disappointed? Has he forgotten that without his fans he might not be where he is today? Now let me say that I was not involved in this, I was just an observer, I like to walk around and see what the different booths have to offer. Better yet, I like to find a chair and watch the fans. They don't care how silly they may look to outsiders, they are not hurting anyone, and many have their family with them, passing the torch, so to speak. I know my son, who is 38 by the way, got his love of comics from me, and I couldn't be prouder. But these are really nice people, and though they may seem a little odd, deserve to be treated better than many were by an artist who forgot where he came from.

Just heard Matt Kenseth's interview after Michigan, complaining about the official causing him to lose two positions on pit road. His version was not what we saw on the screen, and it did not cost him the race as he implies. Then he complains about Dale Jr's tactic of running up, cutting his engine, coasting, and then restarting it and running up again. Yes he passed the pace car, but when NASCAR told him to stop he did. Kenseth would have done the same thing if he had been in the lead. But Kenseth was not in a position to win anyway, so what is he complaining about? I guess it hurts to have a Chevy win at Michigan, where Ford has dominated, and the carmakers are all in attendance.

I have heard some folks are upset about how Jr. won the race. Hey, he kept  himself in contention the whole race, and at the end he did what he had to do. This is the formula Richard Petty used for two hundred wins, and it is also part of what keeps racing interesting. Also, Jr's car was fast enough to pull away at the end, so what are they complainiing about?                                                 
                                                       
                                              On another note, while I would love to see Kyle Petty win again, or at least be competitive on the track, he does a great job as an announcer, Go Petty. Maybe Petty Enterprizes will be in the Winner's circle again soon, hope so.

Saturday night's race at Richmond should have been Dale Jr's return to Victory Lane, but actions by Denny Hamlin and team mate Kyle Busch, questionable actions at best, but according to NASCAR rules, illegal actions. Hamlin led most of the race, but when his right front tire started going down, and he was passed by both Earnhardt, and Busch, he decided to play spoiler. He could not pit and hope to win the race, and his partner, Busch was too far behind Earnhardt to catch him on the track. So Hamlin stayed on the track, an action unthinkable to any driver hopeing to finish the race, because his tire situation was certain to result in a wreck. But a wreck would bring out a caution, and allow Busch to catch up, so he stayed out. When he hit the wall, it didn't damage the car enough to bring out the caution flag, so Hamlin just stopped on the track. Earnhardt's lead was erased by the ensuing caution, Hamlin was directed to the pits, and held there for two laps by NASCAR, for creating an unsafe situation on the track.

Now Kyle Busch was directly behind Earnhardt on the restart and when the green flag fell the race was on, but Earnhardt was holding him off, running the highline that he prefers. Busch tried to pass on the inside, but couldn't seal the deal, even though Dale Jr. left him plenty of room to run there. Now every race commentator has marveled about Busch's car control, but he couldn't seem to keep from hitting Earnhardt's left side, just enough to put the 88 in a spin, then his storied car control returned as he kept his car tracking straight. Jr. hit the wall, the 07 slipped by Busch in the melee, and went on to win. Later Busch complained about an Earnhardt crewman, who expressed his displeasure in the pits as unsportsmanlike, an action that Busch had committed just the night before, when he complained about the driving tactics of Stephen Wallace, tactics much like he employed 24 hours later. Jr. was disappointed afterward, but refused to call anyone names. Later, Kyle made a rather snide remark about everyone on the track was afraid to wreck Dale Jr.

I am a race fan, I like Jr., but I also like Joe Gibbs' Racing, , and many times I've pulled for Kyle Busch, and Denny Hamlin, but their actions Saturday night were uncalled for. This kind of behavior doesn't help racing, and I hope someone in NASCAR or Joe Gibb's Racing will have a word or two with these two young stars. Win at any cost, doesn't cut it anymore.

Is there any doubt that Paula Abdul is overmedicated? After last night Idol should think about drug testing. She really doesn't serve much purpose on the show anyway, no meaningful comments and for Pete's sake, when the kids are singing, she should stay in her seat, instead of standing, hopeing to get the cameras on her and not whoever is singing on stage. Why not replace her with a different star each week?

I hpoe David Cook says goodbye tonight, he is all attitude. Then Jason never seems to take anything seriously, he just isn't trying that hard. Brook was kind of weak last night, she needs to really come up with a good number soon. Syeshia and little David were the best last night, and I hope we get to hear Neal Diamond sing tonight, he is still a great talent.

All this talk about global warming, which, by the way is real, is just that talk. We need for industry to take the lead, and get things started. First we need hybrid vehicles that are affordable, and the more they make, the cheaper they will be. Auto makers are patting themselves on the pack because they have a few out there, but how many of us can buy them? Next, E-85 is not the answer, unless of course you have 10,000 acres of corn growing out back. E-85 is expensive to make, gives poor mileage, and will make any thing related to corn go up in price. Cattle farmers will pay higher prices for corn to feed their herds because the corn farmer can get a better price at the refinery, so your hamburger will cost more, and your milk. The wheat farmer can make more money raising corn, so the cost of a loaf of bread will go up, whoops, it already has. But you get the picture, let your imagination run wild, you won't like it. And why do we not have affordable electric cars? In my case, an electric would be the perfect second car, as it probably would for a lot of two car families. Where are the windmills that can generate electricity? I read recently about a power company in New England that wanted to put some along the coast to make use of the winds there, but the elite residents said it would spoil their view. Hey, Duke Power, I've got a big field out behind my place, and there is always a strong breeze and often pretty strong winds. Let's talk. The recent decision not to reopen the White Street Landfill to make use of available capacity and avoid the 140 mile round trip to Montgomery County made by our garbage trucks. I grew up in northeast Greensboro, and lived there most of my life. The smell is not that bad, folks, and it would save a ton of money. The county had no problem with putting an asphalt plant next to those folks over on Liberty Rd, and that is a bad smell, to say nothing of possible health effects down the road. I won't go into possible reasons for one over the other, but if you look into it, you can figure it out. And while I'm on my soap box, and talking about the landfill, this new deal about HD TV next year, how many old tv sets will be discarded because of this unneeded piece of legislation? Somebody has a really good lobbiest working there . Even Lorraine Ahearn, not my favorite columnist, wrote about the use of those cheap plastic bags at the gocery store, that can't stay together long enough to get your groceries into the house, but will linger forever in the dump down in Montgomery County. What do we have against Montgoery County, by the way?Anyway, thats enough to get us started,give us some decent alternatives to what is messing with the ozone, and show us how with a sacrifice here and there we can save our planet, yes our planet, not the planet, we will screw up Mars when we get there, but for now, we have work to do here. And one more thing, be careful with those new light bulbs, they can be hazardous to our health.

First let me acknowledge that the title for this is not my own. It is from the Greensboro News & Record, Wednesday, April 16, 2008, page A13. In the middle of the page is a column by Mr Thomas Sowell, that is most interesting, and should  be read by everyone who plans to vote in November. Mr Sowell reveals that Obama is the farthest left of anyone in the Senate, and has shown no inclination to work toward bipartisan legislation,  a key point on getting things passed. He has also not sponsored any significant legislation. Mr Sowell goes on to state that Obama , in the left wing tradition is for the woking class only in the abstract, or as people potentially useful for the purposes of the left, but having disdain or contempt for them as human beings. I would hope that anyone who sees this blog will take the time to read the entire column, and while there, please take note of the photo of Mr Sowell.

Perhaps the most telling thing about Obama's "Cling" speech, is that it was at a private fund raiser, doesn't that sound like an elitest gathering where a candidate can reveal his true thoughts because he is among like minded people? Small town folks cling to guns, and religion, and are bitter about the candidates who don't listen to them. And what is wrong with that? When the candidate attends a church pastored by a preacher who harbors anti-American sentiments, and his wife says she has only recently become proud of America, and the candidate himself says things behind closed doors that he would rather us small town folks not hear, maybe we should cling to something we can rely on. Maybe we should be bitter when he looks down his nose at us poor little small town folks. Don't pity us because we have religeon, don't look down on us because we are gun owners, and don't dismiss us because we are tired of politicians who are out of touch with what we must put up with everyday of our lives. And most of all, don't say one thing to us, and something entirely different to your friends, and expect us to blindly vote for you. We are small town folks, we are not the village idiots.

The recent controversy at PTI shows how little regard companies have for their customers and their employees. Alot of people's plans are affected, and lives disrupted by the sudden closing of the Skybus airline, leaving people without jobs, and some without flights home, to say nothing of tickets bought for flights later on. But their was a warning of sorts, when two executives of the airline resigned suddenly earlier last week, most likely with healthy severance packages, like rats leaving a sinking ship. It's too bad that the funds these two will get, are probably protected from lawsuits.

On another note

Fox 8 did a story about a young woman who had planned to take her young son to Disney World today, and knew nothing of Skybus's troubles till she got to PTI, on Monday. I feel for this lady and her son, but really, is she living in a vaccuum? How could she not know about this since it's been all over the newepapers, and tv since Friday evening? If she had turned on the news, she might have had time to make other travel arrangments, and not had her plans totally ruined, and her son disappointed. We need to keep ourselves aware of what is happening around us.

 

Jack Roush is at it again, looking for the boogy man under the bed, but in Jack's case the boogy man speaks with a Japanese accent. A Toyota team, Michael Waltrip Racing, wound up with a sway bar belonging to one of Roush's teams by mistake, and he is yelling intellectual espionage. NASCAR, and other teams and drivers, all say this sort of thing happens in the garage area at the different tracks because of tight quarters, and the large number of people and parts in the area. But Jack says no, it is deliberate, Toyota is after him. When Toyota first announced it was coming to NASCAR, Jack has cried foul, knowing that Toyota would up the ante, and make other teams spend more and work harder, no other car owner complained. Jack says he has never stolen anything from another team, which may be true, unless you count all the sponsors that he has taken from other, smaller teams. But when you run 5 teams, you need a lot of sponsors. NASCAR has a limit of four teams per owner, but Jack has maintained 5, even though NASCAR has demanded he get rid of one for several years now. Any other team doing this would be dealt with harshly, but NASCAR hasn't done anything yet. And on top of all that, a sixth team sprang up across the street from Roush's shops with very little visible support, curious. Roush has forged alliances with other teams, Yates, and the Wood brothers, and somehow the other guys wind up on the short end of the stick. Yates' cars are running with no sponsors, something that can't go on for long, and the Wood brothers can barely make the races, but Jack's teams just keep running with multiple sponsors. Of course they get an assist from time to time from an illeagle part or lack of one. Carl Edwards, Jack's golden boy, won a race, and was found to have the lid  missing from the oil tank container inside the car, an aerodynamic advantage. They lost points and money on that one, and Jack couldn't even contest it, because they were caught red handed. A team that would leave that lid off, could very easily misplace a sway bar in the garage area, and it was Edwards car that the sway bar was from. Maybe Jack just needs to shut up with the accusations, and clean up his own act. And maybe Ford needs to look out for some of their other team owners, before Jack is the only card in their hand.